Ashitha | |
---|---|
Born | Pazhayannur, Trichur, Travancore-Cochin, India | 5 April 1956
Died | 27 March 2019 Thrissur, Kerala, India | (aged 62)
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | Indian |
Genre | Short story, poetry, novel, translation |
Notable works |
|
Notable awards |
|
Spouse | Raman Kutty |
Children | A daughter |
Parents | Balachandran Nair Thankamani Amma |
Ashitha (Malayalam: അഷിത; 5 April 1956 – 27 March 2019) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, best known for her short stories, poems and translations. She helped popularize haiku poems in Malayalam through her translations. She was a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story and other honours including the Padmarajan Award, Lalithambika Anterjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award and Edasseri Award.
Ashitha was born on 5 April 1956 [1] in Pazhayannur in Trichur district of Kerala to Kazhangottu Balachandran Nair and Thekkekarupath Thankamani Amma. [2] She completed her schooling from Delhi and Bombay and obtained her graduate and master's degrees in English literature from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. [3][ additional citation(s) needed]
Ashitha was married to K. V. Ramankutty and had a daughter, Uma Praseedha. [4] [5] She was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and was undergoing treatment when she died on 27 March 2019, at 62, survived by her husband, daughter and son-in-law. [6] [7]
Ashitha, who authored over 20 books, [8] [9] was known to have portrayed her life experiences through short stories and poems. [10] Counted among the most prominent women writers in Malayalam after Kamala Surayya and best known for her short stories, [11] she translated a number of works of Alexander Pushkin and Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī as well as many haikus. [12] She also adapted the Ramayana, Bhagavatam, Jataka tales and Aithihyamala for children. [13] Her biography, Athu Njanayirunnu (That Was I), was published by Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu. [14] The annual Ashitha Memorial Literary Award was instituted in 2022 in her memory. [15]
Ponnani Edasseri Smaraka Samithi selected Ashitha's work, Vismaya Chhihnangal for an Edasseri Award in 1986 [16] and she received the Lalithambika Anterjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award in 1994. [17] Her short story anthology, Thathagatha, fetched her the Padmarajan Award in 2000. [18] [19] Kerala Sahitya Akademi selected Ashithayude Kathakal, another short story anthology, for its annual award for story in 2015. [20] She was also a recipient of Ankanam Award [21] and Thoppil Ravi Foundation Award. [22]
(audio book)
Ashitha in conversation with Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu
Ashitha | |
---|---|
Born | Pazhayannur, Trichur, Travancore-Cochin, India | 5 April 1956
Died | 27 March 2019 Thrissur, Kerala, India | (aged 62)
Occupation | Writer |
Nationality | Indian |
Genre | Short story, poetry, novel, translation |
Notable works |
|
Notable awards |
|
Spouse | Raman Kutty |
Children | A daughter |
Parents | Balachandran Nair Thankamani Amma |
Ashitha (Malayalam: അഷിത; 5 April 1956 – 27 March 2019) was an Indian writer of Malayalam literature, best known for her short stories, poems and translations. She helped popularize haiku poems in Malayalam through her translations. She was a recipient of the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Story and other honours including the Padmarajan Award, Lalithambika Anterjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award and Edasseri Award.
Ashitha was born on 5 April 1956 [1] in Pazhayannur in Trichur district of Kerala to Kazhangottu Balachandran Nair and Thekkekarupath Thankamani Amma. [2] She completed her schooling from Delhi and Bombay and obtained her graduate and master's degrees in English literature from Maharaja's College, Ernakulam. [3][ additional citation(s) needed]
Ashitha was married to K. V. Ramankutty and had a daughter, Uma Praseedha. [4] [5] She was diagnosed with cancer in 2013 and was undergoing treatment when she died on 27 March 2019, at 62, survived by her husband, daughter and son-in-law. [6] [7]
Ashitha, who authored over 20 books, [8] [9] was known to have portrayed her life experiences through short stories and poems. [10] Counted among the most prominent women writers in Malayalam after Kamala Surayya and best known for her short stories, [11] she translated a number of works of Alexander Pushkin and Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī as well as many haikus. [12] She also adapted the Ramayana, Bhagavatam, Jataka tales and Aithihyamala for children. [13] Her biography, Athu Njanayirunnu (That Was I), was published by Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu. [14] The annual Ashitha Memorial Literary Award was instituted in 2022 in her memory. [15]
Ponnani Edasseri Smaraka Samithi selected Ashitha's work, Vismaya Chhihnangal for an Edasseri Award in 1986 [16] and she received the Lalithambika Anterjanam Smaraka Sahitya Award in 1994. [17] Her short story anthology, Thathagatha, fetched her the Padmarajan Award in 2000. [18] [19] Kerala Sahitya Akademi selected Ashithayude Kathakal, another short story anthology, for its annual award for story in 2015. [20] She was also a recipient of Ankanam Award [21] and Thoppil Ravi Foundation Award. [22]
(audio book)
Ashitha in conversation with Shihabuddin Poythumkadavu